


oh shit

by shiroake



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Gen, M/M, Multi, chocobros 4 lyfe eventually, i just want them to be happy ok, lbr it will end in smut, prompto pov, ust forever
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2018-04-27
Packaged: 2018-09-20 05:14:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9477161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shiroake/pseuds/shiroake
Summary: Drabbles by chapter of the several times Prompto caught himself having the hots for Noctis. And Gladio. And Ignis.And not realizing they're all sort of in a relationship that he is the last piece to.





	1. noct isn't about to say he got his ass wrecked last night

**Author's Note:**

> no betas were used in the making of this nonsense, it was a lot of me screaming and laughing about prompto becoming aware at all the wrong moments to friends  
> \- minor spelling errors were corrected, this is what I get for late night posting

It's the day after Noctis had his 20th birthday party - at a bar - and Prompto couldn't quite understand just why Noctis kept avoiding rolling over. Or getting up. While he made it out of his bedroom and met Prompto down at the gardens, he was far more content to lay there on his stomach along the length of the bench and tap at his phone. Normally, that wouldn't be all that weird, and yeah it's not like they're doing anything but playing King's Knight...

"Noct, you went to a bar last night for partying, right?"

Without looking up, Noctis just grunts his answer, a _yeah_ , and keeps tapping away. He doesn't look upset or anything and he's even got that hint of a smile on his face that he always tries to hide, so it was clearly fun. But he hasn't said a word about it since he got there. Prompto shifts how he's sitting in a chair nearby and flicks his attention back down to his phone, tapping out a few attacks - and then he's talking again, fidgeting almost like it makes up for the zero movement on Noct's end.

"Dude, don't just say yeah, you gotta tell me how it was! It wasn't just get drunk and get carried home, right? C'mon, spill the beans!"

Noctis has this petulant look on his face, like there's no beans to spill. That seems downright _impossible_ , there can't be nothing to talk about from the night before! Prompto actually pauses his game, pausing it for both of their phones, and scoots to sit on the edge of his chair. There's nothing about that childish expression that puts this big child off, nope, no siree. While the staredown lasts for a few long moments, eventually Noctis just sighs and grunts. He moves, for probably the first time since Prompto got here, and he props himself up with his arms under his chest and genuinely _winces_.

Oh.

Wait, what? Prompto already moves out of surprise, setting his phone down to watch Noct move, but the fact that he's got some kind of pain doesn't really clue Prompto in about anything. Reaching to gently smooth his hand down Noct's back and knead where he thinks it hurts, all that really gets is a low little groan out of the prince. Hesitating, raising his hand, Prompto gets it off him by hardly a few inches before Noctis is getting some whined words out instead.

"No, hey, that was fine. Rub my back? Look, I'll talk about it later, I just want to piece it all together first.. my memory is hazy in some spots."

It's like an exchange, information for a back rub. Prompto feels like a sucker for a hot second, but then he's chuckling and lowering his hand to knead his knuckles on either side of Noctis' spine. 

He just works that touch downward, following the simple slope up until he's got the knuckles for his pointer and middle finger digging on either side of Noctis' back just above the waistband of his pants. Noct isn't a quiet participant either, groaning thankfully for every press of Prompto's hand. Eventually, Prompto can feel his arm getting tired, so without really saying anything he gets up and moves to make it easier to rub and dig his knuckles into every sore spot the prince seems to have picked up in the last twenty four hours. There's no second thought about sitting on the back of Noctis' thighs to use both hands either, pressing the heels of his hands into that little shelf that makes up where Noct's hips end and ass begins. While it prompts a _really_ nice sound out of Noctis, it's only now that Prompto feels like he's got an issue. Whatever this issue is, it eludes him, so he just keeps working his hands up and down Noctis' back, easily working out more little groans and pleasant sighs - but about five good minutes in, Prompto realizes just what is nagging him so much.

Those little sounds and groans are affecting him way more than they should. Briefly glancing down, feeling his own ears scarlet just in time for Noctis to let out another pleased moan as Prompto's knuckles press right into the sore spot he's been working almost this entire time, he has this single instant thought flit through his mind.

 _Oh shit_.

The next moment comes with a clearing of a throat somewhere to their left, and while Noctis has no qualms with continuing to lay there like a beached whale, Prompto turns his head so fast he's sure he gave himself whiplash, and there's no helping the second racing thought of Oh Shit, because Gladio is standing there with his arms crossed and the most steady stare he's ever been given. Steady, and questioning, as if it's not normal to find Prompto lounging into Noctis' personal space. Well, it isn't in this circumstance, considering Prompto is seated on the back of Noct's legs and bending somewhat over his body to cram his knuckles into his back in what he's sure is a great massage.

That's all it is. At least, that's all Prompto thought it was. His face is burning and he can only tolerate that steady look for a few moments longer before he stands abruptly and laughs, giving Noctis a few swift pats on the back. Something weird just happened, something absolutely just happened and he totally doesn't feel some ping of remorse to Noctis' whine for a continued massage. Prompto just picks up his phone and sinks into his own seat again as Gladio walks in further to sit with them and quickly pulls up some other app on his phone to play with until Noctis picks himself up out of his drool puddle to fuss with his own phone again. Whatever weirdness just happened passed as quickly as it came, even if Prompto's scarlet blush still burns his ears - Noctis doesn't ask about it, Gladio says nothing more. Hell, he's not going to be the one to bring it up! 

It's not for another few long hours of hanging out that Noctis calls it an early night and Prompto is well on his way home that he stops in the middle of the street and stares really hard into his reflection on his phone. Really hard. Like he's remembering, instead of actually looking. Remembering every sweet little noise Noctis made while rubbing his back.

Oh _shit_.


	2. swear to god noctis knows iggy is too soft on him and plays by that rule

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's something to be said about sharing one hotel room between the four of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this only came out so quick because I had two all decided on ahead of time, prompto will one day make this rating go up over teen  
> \- hey i actually proofread and spellchecked this one before posting it!

He hears him the moment Noctis stumbles into the hotel room, wet squishy shoes and all. Prompto hears him and takes a second to really wake up, but he makes no move to roll over and just stares at Gladio's sleeping back with a slight bite to his lower lip. He's in big shit and he can't quite warn him with the way Ignis is sitting in the chair beside the other bed. Waiting. Patiently. Like the way an angry wife sits and waits for their husband to come home after a late night of drinking with the guys - and that in itself could be a joke if it weren't for the way Ignis looked when he nicely told Prompto and Gladio to get some rest.

He had a tense jaw, and he had coffee made. Intending to wait out the night for Noct to return. 

There's something to be said about Noct's fishing obsession, but usually he doesn't just slip off on them - so the fact that he eluded both Gladio _and_ Ignis to duck out into the rainstorm of a century to go fishing without them was a problem, to say the least. Whatever he was thinking about, or why he waited until the wee hours of the morning to come back, hopefully it was worth it. Prompto has half a mind to try and will himself back to sleep, but it's becoming a little hard to with the palpable tension in the room as he just _knows_ Noctis and Ignis are staring each other down.

One in stern concern, the other in mild teenaged rebellion.

"Iggy, c'mon, no one would have wanted to be out there other than me." Ah, it begins.

"You are underestimating that it is the rain that caused us to worry." The time? It had to be the time. Prompto can't even glance at his phone to see what time it is, and his back is to the hotel alarm clock, but he can make a guess that it's _late_. Or at least, morning. The sun isn't up yet, so not too early, not early enough for Ignis to get zero sleep if he goes to bed right after this lecture, but who knows just how long this will be...

"I know, sorry. It's just easy to lose track of time, plus it was dark already and you know how fishing is. It's a waiting game." It's a waiting game of sitting in the dark on a dock doing the thing he loves the most, obviously. Prompto bites his own lip again without budging, keeping himself quiet even as he feels his face turn up in an amused look - all his internal commentary isn't helping himself. The last thing he needs is to get pulled into the lecture just by being awake!

There's a few squishy steps again as Noctis walks further into the room, his movements a bit hushed, but Prompto can make a guess that he's starting to lose his soaked clothes. There's the sound of Ignis' chair moving, of him getting up and walking ... over? To where Noctis was. Clothing was being fussed with by a second pair of hands, that's just like Ignis to take his concern to the next level by physically doting on Noctis. Prompto thinks there's almost not going to be a lecture after all until he hears this utterly _cheeky_ response come after some long quiet moments - along with the heavier noise of wet clothes being dropped to the floor.

"Do I need to make it up to you, babe?"

It was a mild joke Prompto made a few years ago that comes to mind as he resists cramming his fist in his mouth to prevent himself from giggling - that Ignis took care of Noctis the way a wife would. He cooks, he cleans, he keeps him on task, he keeps him from overdoing himself from fun or from training. If the joke really did carry enough that _Noctis_ was teasing Ignis about it, just how much does Ignis do for him? Chef, maid, advisor, butler, caretaker, it's all rolled into one for this guy. Whatever sort of expression Ignis made in response though has no audible reply, even if Noctis gives this chuckle - it had to have been funny, crap. Prompto wishes he could roll to his other side, he wants to know what's going on other than through audio cues!

Prompto doesn't have to wait all that long to hear what comes next though, and it's enough to make him stare really hard at Gladio's back as he tries to figure out the sounds. There's no words, really. It's not words, but there's the sound of soft wet smecks, like - kissing? A hushed murmur breaks that noise up, they're both breathing differently than before, and all Prompto can do is freeze in place and refrain from cramming his hand in his mouth all over again for new reasons because _oh shit, are they making out_? This has to be his imagination, does he have this kind of imagination to be thinking about Noctis and Ignis making out? He immediately tries to rationalize the thought, even as he still listens closely to the simple sounds of the rest of those wet clothes going, to the sound of footsteps as they move - together - further in and closer to their own shared bed for the night and o _h gods they're absolutely making out_.

He could move, he could adjust himself to sneak peeks from behind his pillow, it's not like Ignis left a light on. No, he was considerate enough to wait in the darkness with a flashlight, but that light has been abandoned with the chair and for as much as Prompto _wants_ to look to see and confirm if what he's hearing is actually happening, he doesn't dare roll over. He'll just stare with increasing awkwardness at Gladio's back like he can _will_ the other man to wake up from all the little noises on the other bed, like he would sit up and confirm it for him. Unfortunately, with Noctis in Ignis' care, Gladio sleeps soundly like a rock - it's like they take turns for who is hyper-vigilant at night, for choosing to deep sleep or not.

If all the wet clothes are off or not, Prompto finds himself caught between either listening to two of his close friends make out on the other bed or ignoring them and willing himself to sleep. Granted, sleep is impossible with the intensity of _oh shit_ running through his mind, along with several other questions. Are they dating? How long have they been dating? Maybe he's actually just asleep and dreaming because Noct is engaged and everything - but then that opens a new can of worms onto Prompto himself. What the hell is he doing thinking about them making out? Biting his lip hard and turning his head, burying his face in his pillow as soundlessly as he can, Prompto shudders in place when he hears a particularly louder groan and there's no mistaking it now.

Oh shit, are they really doing this with him and Gladio in the room? Like, okay, it's the first beds they've seen in about a week, but it's not the first time they've been _alone_ in a sense. This isn't alone, this is almost voyeuristic - and that's where Prompto cuts his thought short, eyes open and staring into his pillow and sweating because the thought alone of watching them make out is kind of hot. Does he really want to go down this trail of thoughts, or is he just skidding down the slope from the way he feels hot all over... yeah. Prompto should be ashamed of himself, he scolds himself at the same time as knows he's feeling excited. He almost works up the nerve to creep a hand down under the blankets to the sound of something that is far more vigorous than simple making out, but when Prompto manages to get his face out of his pillow to try and focus on staring at Gladio's back again, he is met not with a back but with Gladio rolling over to make himself comfortable again.

Facing him now.

The only bonus is that he didn't really wake up, he just shifted. It's a thing he does, like snoring. Or stealing blankets. Or ruining the only moment Prompto had of avoiding blue balls with the way he didn't even hear Ignis and Noct hesitate - maybe they just didn't hear Gladio roll over. It's impossible now though, it's impossible to even think about mildly touching himself because now that he has hesitated, the mortification of what he was about to do has set in and Prompto bites his lip hard - before burying his face in his pillow again, pinning his own hands under his pillow to prevent himself from doing something stupid. Sleep doesn't quite come until well after Prompto hears Ignis' glasses finally set on the bedside table between the two beds.

At some point, he dozes. He dreams of velvet mouths, of firm hands, of all those little noises he can recall with startling clarity, and when Prompto wakes up bleary-eyed, Noctis is in Gladio's spot on the bed and the other two are out of the room. Possibly to grocery shop, possibly to let them sleep in while they pack the car, Prompto doesn't know and doesn't care because he still got the worst sleep of his life and the reason for it is sleeping too peacefully for him to get actually upset. He can't even let himself go to the bathroom to deal with it other than cranking the water cold and letting this sad problem go away.

"You're lucky you're so _pretty_ or I'd draw on your face for all that trouble..." Honestly, Prompto is still tempted to do that anyway. Petty revenge for way too many conflicting thoughts to stew on.


	3. please don't fuck on the table, we are eating there tonight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> newsflash, prompto likes all of them

For the better part of an hour, Prompto let himself get taken along for the shopping trip, if only because Ignis can't carry all of this back on his own. Someone has to look out for the guy so he doesn't stress so much, at least Prompto thinks that's why he's out here pushing the cart along as Ignis checks the prices between cantaloupes and melons. Noctis caught a fever after his last excursion of fishing in the rain for several hours straight, so while they left Gladio behind to keep their prince from trying to go fishing again, Ignis has decided to invent a soup that gets rid of fevers and colds overnight.

There's no such thing, everyone knows it takes a few days to burn that kind of thing out of your system. Still, Prompto just watches Ignis as he continues comparing the fruits and quietly haggling the price of the few vegetables Noctis will eat (or the ones he can't tell are mixed in due to Ignis' skill at cooking with spices) - and just thinks. He's been noticing more and more these little things that stick out as being... hints, maybe. Confirmations of what he did already witness so far. Ignis is Noct's advisor, he's trained since yadda yadda age to be good at almost everything to help Noctis prepare to be King, right, but there's these hints of affection that just linger so much more now. Hands on the shoulder, looks across camp, morning smooches that Prompto is too caught in the moment with to take the photo of despite how he has his camera raised and the zoom in from quite a few yards away where he can't really be seen.

There's something there. But for how much Prompto has been noticing it between Ignis and Noct, he's been starting to see it just as much between Gladio and Noct - like accidentally zooming into the caravan one morning and catching them definitely screwing around while Ignis was outside making breakfast like there was no idea. Maybe he knows and feels secure enough in that he doesn't worry? Are they all doing something that they aren't talking about because it's just been them for so long? 

For a fleeting moment, Prompto's insecurities about just how much he belongs strike hard - and then they're gone because Ignis is asking him something. Blinking, turning his attention up from where he was tuned out and staring somewhere, Prompto gives a bright smile and tries to pretend he wasn't about to have an existantial crisis in the middle of the produce section in this small grocery store.

"Sorry - what's up?" Ignis doesn't look all that convinced, he looks a little concerned actually, even as he moves to place a melon and some bananas into the cart.

"Are you feeling alright? You're looking a touch pale."

Ah - whoops. He feels fine, he really does, he's just thinking way too hard. Letting his grin turn a little sheepish and apologizing again, waving Ignis off by trying to point out a sale the store seems to be having on carrots (sorry Noct, carrots aren't the worst thing in the world though), Prompto starts pushing the cart to avoid seeing the continued look of concern he knows he must be getting. When Ignis goes into full on 'Mom mode', there's no stopping him from taking care of all of them. He has to get tired of it sometimes, Ignis really does a fantastic job of being the glue that keeps them all eating more than junk and getting real sleep, and staying out of too much trouble.

Ignis lets it go, at least Prompto thinks so, because with a simple touch to his shoulder he is off to investigate those carrots. At least carrots go well in soup, and if he minces them up small enough, Noctis can't literally pick them out of his broth. The lengths that guy goes through to avoid vegetables. Prompto's thoughts end up veering off again despite himself, but they don't really wander down the same path. No, instead, he's watching Ignis and actually taking in the aesthetically pleasing way his back looks. Straight spine, the nice way his shoulders sit even as he is looking down, Prompto could reach out and just feel what he knows is a solid frame. It's hard to tell just from how Ignis prefers to wear his clothes, but he's muscular. Lean, but not wiry and not thin. Really, he has more muscle than himself and Noctis combined, but it's hidden under that sleek stylish outfit and oh shit does this qualify as checking him out?

Prompto catches himself with that last thought, even as his eyes wander down - as if looking at Ignis' butt is supposed to confirm for himself that he is totally checking him out - he is quick to turn his head away entirely and scrub at his face with one hand. Wait, when did his mind go this way, he was just thinking that Ignis is a pretty great guy and great at everything he does. Patience of a saint, skill at cooking, looks really hot when he's fighting or playing cards - looks hot in general. Okay. Well then. Swallowing and bringing his attention back, watching Ignis give him a brief glance as he puts a bag of carrots into the cart, Prompto just pushes it along after him as he continues down the aisle to pick up some potatoes.

That kind of confirms it. So, he thinks Ignis is hot and Noctis is hot, so he isn't really off-base in how he would have thought it was really hot that they were making out (and maybe screwing?) a handful of days ago. It's been barely a week, but he's witnessed plenty to think about. Coming to a stop a whole aisle behind Ignis, watching him go and gently judging himself for the way his eyes drop to the really nice sillouette Ignis' frame makes, Prompto tries to decide just what he thinks of Gladio then. He's undeniably attractive for a guy, super photogenic, but is it wish-fulfillment about all that muscle?

The grocery trip doesn't last too much longer, if only because Ignis insists that they carry the bags between them so they don't have to bring a shopping cart back across the street to the motel in the pouring rain - and it wouldn't do to have too much, even between two people. All they've ended up bringing back are the things Ignis wants to use for tonight's dinner, a dessert he is quietly suggesting Prompto not bring up unless Noctis looks like he wants to slip out to fish again (he is so weak to home-baked sweets), and tomorrow's breakfast. Preparations for tomorrow's shopping trip will be made with regards to their plans, which... really are all about how quickly Noctis recovers from this fever. By the time they get everything into their little one bedroom suite, Prompto feels soaked to the bone and has half a mind to go straight for the shower. With Ignis gently waving him off to at least go change, Prompto snags a towel from the closet before he pokes his head into the bedroom - a shared bedroom, with two double beds - and ends up quietly smiling at the sight.

Noctis was clearly wrapped up in a blanket with the messiest bedhead he's seen this week, but he was also curled right up with Gladio beside him. Both were asleep, both looked completely wrapped up in each other. It was kind of cute, no, it was really cute - and it still made Prompto feel a little pang of jealousy regardless. Who is he jealous about is the new question, one he doesn't feel like tackling, so Prompto shoves the thought aside and scrubs his hair a bit drier before he hangs the towel around his shoulders and steps further into the room. He'll get a change of clothes out in a minute, first he needs to wake Gladio up!

"Big guy, rise and shine! Go convince Ignis to get warmed up before he cooks, he looks like a man on a mission."

Meaning, Prompto is going to try to wait out taking a shower first. Ignis deserves it ahead of him, but trying to convince him of that himself usually gets him convinced instead. While one wouldn't think just saying all that would wake Gladio up so easily, he shifts and stretches and moves (so reluctantly) - Prompto doesn't think he actually heard him outside of being a loud voice waking him up. Flopping facedown onto his own half of his bed, Prompto just snuggles himself onto the pillows and makes like he's going to take a nap. He hears Gladio get up and move eventually, he hears those heavier footsteps wander out of the room, and for a long minute, Prompto just listens. He can hear some light talk from the kitchen, great. There's a chance Gladio would try to convince Ignis to shower first anyway then, it's not like Ignis wasn't just as wet and cold as he was.

Rolling over and looking at Noctis still all wrapped up in his blankets, it's only now that he can see the top of his shirt and laughs a little to himself, because Noctis was half wearing his fishing clothes. Did he seriously try to sneak out? Gladio clearly caught him in time and prevented it, maybe the burrito state was a result of keeping him there too. Pushing himself to sit up and scooting, moving from his bed and over to sit beside Noctis instead, Prompto reaches to fix some of that bedhead and muss it up to get a look at this sleepyhead's face. He's out like a light, still warm and feverish.. or maybe Prompto is just cold. Lifting his hand for a second, squinting at it in a manner of asking why his senses betray him, a hand comes up and chases after his in the end. Bringing it back down with Noct's sleepy coaxing, pressing it against a hot forehead, Noctis settles right back down with an inaudible noise and Prompto finds himself smiling. Yeah, he's still unfairly pretty in his sleep, that's for sure. Letting Noctis keep his hand for a bit longer, taking advantage of his friends passed out state to just take a nice long look at him, Prompto lets his thumb drift down the simple slope of Noctis' nose and over his mouth, outlining his lips - and then he decides he really needs to get up before he does something he shouldn't. 

Lifting his hand reluctantly, giving one last pass of his thumb across dry lips, Prompto gets up and moves to tuck Noct's arm back in under the blankets before he steps away and sucks his own lower lip in between his teeth, thinking. He really needs to finish figuring out just what he'd be trying to do here, other than kiss him senseless. He kind of wants to kiss Iggy senseless too, is it a good or bad thing that he just wants to kiss them, is he thinking way too hard on all of this? Starting to wander back to the kitchen and only pausing at the doorway when he hears the soft scrape of wood on wood moving, Prompto looks up just in time to see Gladio pin Ignis' hips to the table and dip his head down, kissing along that nice regal neck he himself was admiring idly earlier.

Oh holy shit.

Freezing into place with his fingertips resting a hairs breath away from pushing the door further open, Prompto stands there peeking out the half opened door and swallows his tongue into his throat like he can make up for how dry it feels. Gladio wasn't holding back, and while Ignis restrained himself to only letting out quiet little sounds, he sure wasn't doing anything to dissuade the other man. He can hear the way Gladio presses wet kisses along smooth skin, he can almost feel himself burning with jealousy under his embarrassment because with the way Ignis' head tips back to expose his throat, he's clearly feeling good. Prompto wants to know what it's like to be the one causing that - or the one that's being done to, he can't really decide which is more appealing with the way his blush burns from his cheeks down his neck.

Lifting his hand up to his own face instead, like covering his mouth will do anything for his already apparent muteness, Prompto can't shut his eyes for even a second. He doesn't want to miss anything. Ignis lifts a hand once those kisses go lower, dipping down to his chest, if only because he's reaching up to remove his glasses - and Gladio takes that as a cue to come back up and catch him in a kiss. They're not doing anything more than kissing, than touching, than wrapping up into one person without getting undressed, but it's still hot and Prompto doesn't know how much longer he can watch without getting caught. This isn't like he's in the dark and pretending to be asleep, they know he and Noctis are in the other room. They know he might not be asleep, they know he might ... see this.

Cramming his knuckles into his mouth hard enough to scrape them, sucking down the sudden groan he wants to let out at the very thought that they did this on purpose, Prompto finds it in him to pull away from the door and move, crossing the bedroom for the bathroom on the opposite side. He's running away, he absolutely is, but it's more than enough fuel and alone time that he can hide in the bathroom. Stepping in, shutting the door quickly (but quietly, Noctis doesn't need to wake up too), Prompto shed his clothes in a speed he almost never puts them on with and throws the shower curtain open to turn the water on. He's not even going to settle for a cold shower this time, no, he's going to indulge because that's it.

He can ask later, hormones first for once. Just this once.


	4. **time out!**

This is just an update that real life hit pretty hard over the last year or so, and I apologize deeply for not making any notes here sooner. This story isn't abandoned and I will be working on it again soon! Luckily, I had some stuff already wrote from ... forever ago, but I have enough of an idea about where I was going that everything should be back to an at least monthly schedule.

Thank you for your patience!


	5. really, in front of my salad??

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wrote too much but let's consider it a make up for all the lacking story-time. In other news, Prompto is sexually frustrated, and water is wet.

Prompto wonders if it's possible to beg for another night of camping instead of staying at a motel, but with the way Noctis has come up with way too many filthy clothes and Gladio cracking jokes that the prince needs to start learning how to do his own laundry anyway, it's looking like... a no, especially as Ignis remarks about their low supplies and suggests they spend the night indoors. Somewhere safe. Somewhere with a shower, with laundry, with beds. With shops and Ebony and ugh.

Noct agrees, Gladio agrees about something other than gravel feeling nice for a change, and Prompto sinks into his seat like his new attachment to the outdoors has nothing to do with his own personally attuned problems.

Why is it that literally almost every time they stop in a town, Prompto has caught two of the three together in some kind of promiscuous situation?! Like, be still his heart the day he walks in on all three of them, but with the more times he's caught them, the more Prompto is coming to terms that they're all definitely in relationships. With each other. Together. And they all know it. Do they all know he kind of has figured it out by now? Do they just not want to bring it up to stave off questions?

He could just ask, right now, but for as much as he cares for his friends, Prompto doesn't know if he can handle the embarrassment between all three of them enough - he might just tuck and roll out of the car and run off to get his head straight. Where would he even start with that kind of questioning, like. Hey, guys, are you all dating? Could you stop literally screwing each other into the wall in front of me? No, I don't dislike it, I just feel kind of left out and I don't know how to explain that in the least bit without getting into nagging myself about being insecure and worthless and all that. Yeah. Scrubbing his face with one hand, trying to make it as if he's tired, Prompto can spy Ignis watching him out of the corner of his eye.

Ignis can probably tell something's bugging him, but he hasn't asked yet, so maybe it's not showing as much as he thought it might. Or maybe he's waiting for Prompto to ask first, there's way too many maybe's in this situation for Prompto to take that leap. Turning his head to give him a bright smile, then twisting around in his seat while fishing his camera out to ask Noctis if he's got any photo requests, he somewhat sees that concerned look still on Ignis - ask or don't ask, don't just look at him like that!! With Noctis suggesting more selfies of himself, Prompto flusters a little - but laughs and takes the cover off his lens, before he hands back the camera with a beaming grin.

While Noctis looks a little confused for a moment, he's soon chuckling and accepting the camera, even as Prompto adjusts on his knees to press his weight into his seat better and reaches, trying to help with the settings.

"Look, if you're going to say you want more pictures of me, I'm just going to make you take them! My selfie game hasn't been turning out too great these last few rounds, so I'll leave _this_ in your capable hands! Here, just twist that a little more - you're going to have to look through it, remember, it's not a digital -"

Noct waves him off a little, fighting off Prompto's touchy fingers with batting his hands away up until he can raise the camera and smile behind it. His finger hovers on the button though, he doesn't actually _take_ the photo immediately, even as Prompto's too bright smile eases into something more relaxed. What is he waiting for, is the lighting getting kind of strange cause it's getting darker?

"Hey, Noct?" Click, the camera goes, just as Prompto is calling for him. Damnit, Noct! That's going to have a blurry mouth as a result, whoever vouched that he can take a shot was joking! Noctis grinning like a fool is enough to set Prompto off into chuckling as well though, and when he reaches to take the camera back, Noct just leans back with the camera in his lap and motions for him to turn around.

"Nah, I'm taking the shots now. I promise you'll get to see everything later, so sit back and relax."

What, that's unfair, just what is _he_ supposed to do then? Prompto's hands feel a little empty without his camera, and as he pouts and slowly sinks back into his seat only to turn around every few minutes or so and make this longing gaze at the camera, Prompto fidgets. And fidgets and fidgets and even when Gladio leans forward to talk at him, Prompto has a hard time not fidgeting when he turns to lean on his chair and stand on his knees again. His hands feel lost without his camera, but Noctis doesn't look like he has any intentions of handing it over. At least he's _taking_ photos, even if he's perched up on the back of the car pointing the lens out behind them. Tucking his hands against the seat and leaning to hear Gladio better, he gives him the brunt of his sad eyes since Noct is ignoring him.

"What are you looking so lost for? You've got a camera on your phone, don't you?" He does, but that isn't the point is what he wants to say - that camera and _that_ camera are very different beasts, but Prompto isn't sure the words will quite come out right. Straight up giving the big man a pout, wiggling his fingers against the seat and setting his cheek against the headrest, he tries not to let his eyes wander - Noct with that backdrop behind them of the bright blue sky and minimal clouds is really _nice_ , but so is this somewhat close view he has of Gladio's face.

"It's not the same, but I mean, you have a point. I just don't know what to do with my hands without it, you know?" He has long full lashes, fairly clear skin that's enough to make Prompto jealous, and that eye color is really fetching. Is it only Amicitias with this eye color? Rich, but bright amber, and Prompto knows he has seen that color light up even more to seem like _fire_ in combat - but as Gladio gives him this curious look that turns into a smug sort of expression, Prompto abruptly tries to turn himself back around with red seeping into his ears. He was outright staring, wasn't he? 

Ohhh shit shit shitsHIT.

Well, it sort of answers his thoughts about wish fulfillment - no, he just straight up has the hots for all of his friends and now it's unbearably weird to be without his camera to distract him. They have another two hours of driving to get out of the desert and Prompto isn't sure he can melt into his seat long enough to stop thinking himself into circles. Gladio says something else, something he can't quite catch because of how he sinks further into his seat, but he can almost spy Ignis watching him from the corner of his eye again. Shifting away, like he can stuff himself between the seat and the door, like it hides his incredibly flushed expression, Prompto makes a soft joke about being tired again and deciding he'll nap - wake him when they get there!

Yeah. This is fine. Everything is fine, as Prompto tries to ignore the burning in his face being worse than the burning of the seat because the top of the car is still down and normal, un-embarrassed people are trying to sit as gently in the leather as possible. He is going to end up with burns and part of him doesn't care. 

 

\-----

It ends up easier to doze off than he thought it would be with the easy lull of the car, the hum of the motor and the air conditioning that must have been turned on at some point. By the time he does wake on his own, the sun has come down to nearly setting and the top of the car has been pulled up - he wonders if they hit a rainy patch of weather, before Ignis is pulling in through the outpost they were heading for and his thoughts are interrupted. The man might be focused on pulling the car into just the perfect spot, but Prompto in his half asleep state can only stare at Ignis through the bright lighting and contrasting shadows and he forgets he is supposed to be still asleep when Ignis parks and looks over to him. Ohhhh this lighting is really, really nice, and he has to make a guess that Noct and Gladio are asleep in the backseat too, from the way Ignis gives him this quiet little smile, before turning his head to look back to them as well and _ohhhh that lighting_ really shows off his gorgeous neck.

That has a slight discoloring on it, that Prompto is distinctly aware of its origin, that he is staring at a definite hickey on the side of Iggy's neck and everything in him burns again. 

Too many thoughts all come together and Prompto can't decide what it is at first, instead opting to cough and clear his throat and "wake up" more properly, moving to get out of the car before everyone else because they're here. They're here and he wants to disappear into video games and a shower and bed and to forget that he is jealous or sad or - or whatever these feelings are, and just go back to normal. 

It doesn't take long to rouse the others, to gather up their stuff and all their dirty laundry and drag themselves into the motels, but Prompto almost drops both armfuls when he hears Ignis ask for two rooms for the night. Beside each other, of course, but it's rare for Iggy to splurge like this. While it comes down to three whole beds, Prompto is sort of relieved and sort of envious when he gets a look between them. His and Gladio's room will have two twin beds, and Iggy and Noct's room will have one double bed. He tries to refrain from glancing to his sleepy best friend, like he knows what is going to happen that night, but instead, Prompto's attention gets caught by the way Gladio is looking at him. 

Nearly squeaking in surprise, then quickly turning away without fully meeting his eyes, Prompto makes a lighthearted joke about finally being able to spread out in his own bed tonight and tromps his way inside his room, moving to dump his stuff on his half and start to organize it. As much as he wants to take a shower quick and drop into bed, sorting the dirty clothes to be washed comes first. They will stay the night, rest tomorrow while cleaning their things and getting restocked, and spend one extra night - and leave in the morning the next day. A good plan, but an excruciating plan to Prompto. Maybe if he can get his camera back, he can just spend the day roaming around taking pictures instead of sulking about various feelings.

Maybe.

It still feels like there are eyes on him, even when he peeks back behind him and he is alone in the room - it looks like Gladio went to talk with Iggy and Noct while they sorted their set up, because Gladio's clothing bag looks untouched across the room. Trying to stuff down that it makes him feel straight up excluded all over again and letting out this awkward little laugh to himself, about why he should be included anyway, Prompto finally finishes with his sorting and escapes to the bathroom for a shower. Sometimes, a shower is good for clearing his thoughts. All it's really clearing is dirt and muck this time around, but by the time he comes out, Gladio has returned as is waiting for his turn in the bathroom, tapping around on his phone. Giving him a sheepish little _It's all yours, big guy!_ , Prompto steps past his bed to go towards his own and moves to flop face down into the covers, like it hides just how electric he feels from the brief moment their eyes met again - Gladio looked up when he spoke.

His eyes still looked like fire, something that could burn him if he got too close. Just what was he even thinking?

Remaining motionless, like playing possom on the bed could prevent Gladio from asking questions that Prompto doesn't have answers to, he soon hears the other man get up and disappear into the bathroom, leaving him with the chance to get up and hang up his towel properly over a chair. Flopping back into bed and turning off the light on his side of the room, scooting under the blankets, Prompto ended up grabbing his phone from where he left it plugged in and started playing a few rounds of Kings Knight. It isn't like he is going to be able to knock out that easily again, not with how his brain is running and how he already slept in the car.

It isn't all that long before he hears the shower turn off, and despite being in the middle of a battle, Prompto thinks about turning his phone off immediately - why he wants to be so evasive to _Gladio_ of all people is confusing, to him anyway, so in the end he doesn't turn off his phone. Tapping along as he works on taking down a boss, ignoring when he hears the door open and Gladio step out, he can hear him rifling through his clean clothes and Prompto finds himself listening intently to all the little cues he can hear, rather than paying all that much attention to the game. 

Fabric falls with a small fluffy thunk, did he not bring a change of clothes into the bathroom? It means Gladio was behind him naked, and that's - common enough that it's not really embarrassing. But _enticing_ , in the way he wants to roll over to catch a glimpse of something that shouldn't matter between guys. Biting his lip and ignoring the urge, intently ignoring everything almost as sudden as he becomes aware of how much he is trying to visualize anything going on behind him, Prompto loses his battle and lets out this disgruntled noise. Maybe he should have stayed in the shower, the bathroom seems like the place least likely to let him feel so weird, judged, whatever this is. Jealous? Yeah, probably.

Probably, even as he turns his phone off and plugs it back in, aiming to settle down and sleep it off, if it weren't for Gladio speaking up. "You're still antsy as hell, are you itching for your camera that badly?"

Yeah, absolutely. His camera, his one protective social shield that lets him take pictures of whatever he wants to without being questioned, when all he wants to do is take pictures of his friends to admire how they look without it coming across as creepy. Letting out a breath he didn't think he had been holding, trying to loosen up with a sheepish sort of laugh, Prompto looks ahead at the wall before him.

"No. But yeah? Like, it was just sort of a routine that I always did, is go through all of my pictures before going to bed. I'm not gonna die without it though, you know? Just - it's a habit."

It's a habit, like this newfound inability to meet Gladio's eyes or let Ignis look concerned over him, or let Noct think for even a moment that he doesn't want to be here with them. Prompto almost misses the next words, almost, for being too lost in thought - but the weight of footsteps coming closer to his bed is a sure enough catch for Prompto to feel himself tensing up in place.

"You've been looking more than antsy, to be honest. If the pace we're going at is too hard, just tell someone." He's standing right beside the bed, isn't he? Prompto doesn't want to roll over to look, he can feel those burning eyes on him again and all of him is too immediately caught to do more than stay put. 

He doesn't want to talk about it, he doesn't want to spill that he feels left out, that he knows they're all in a relationship, that he should probably get dropped off in Lestallum or back out in Hammerhead where what he likes is so much less complicated. It isn't like he has suddenly lost interest in Cindy, he still thinks she's amazing and smart and beautiful, but he doesn't quite know her the way he knows the guys. He doesn't quite know her little tics, the ways she looks when she's working, upset, stressed, she has always looked perfect in his eyes and he knows it's not a healthy sort of admiration to put someone on a pedestal.

Weight sinking in at his back almost makes Prompto haul the blankets up like he can hide behind them, but that seems like pushing it too much, making it too obvious that he's bothered by stuff he can't quite explain and he finally turns his head to peek upwards. Gladio has his back to him, like he wants to give him the opportunity to talk, but not the pressure if he can't. It's a sort of blessing, that he seems to be catching how much Prompto doesn't think he has the words. Swallowing, then giving this small laugh as he looks away again and thumbs the shape of his phone beside him in the dark, Prompto raises a hand to rub at his own face.

"It's. It's not a big deal, really. I'm just thinking a lot? Just some stuff I'm figuring out that's sort of a mess, but I don't know what it is so I'm just. Sort of stuff." Sort of, sort of, it's like that's all he can say. There's a sureness and an unsureness all blended into one, is this what they always called butterflies? It sucks. It absolutely sucks.

"Word it out the best you can. You don't have to be specific, if that helps."

That just opens the door for rambling, and Prompto isn't sure he can just _do_ that with Gladio. They weren't exactly close, in terms of who their group was comprised of. Noct, maybe, he could open up like this for, and maybe Ignis if it were a subject that he thought was more appropriate, but Gladio... it had always seemed like he helped him, more because he was Noct's friend, than Gladio's. He liked him well enough, he thought he was a really cool guy, but he was Noct's bodyguard. Not his. Maybe the only thing they have in common is Noct, and early morning rising to go jogging.

"I-" Damn, it all sounds like rambling in his opinion. "- I don't know, I guess I feel like I... don't contribute enough?" It could work, that might be okay enough to go with, even if it feels like he is lining himself up for all the wrong things with that. When Gladio doesn't immediately jump in to offer advice, Prompto continues, carefully, like he has to choose his words to be safe.

"Like, I'm stepping into something I'm not supposed to. Not the whole - traveling and stuff, not with helping Noct, that's... I want to do that. But with, you guys." But with realizing they're together and he's not, that he's just as much an outsider as always, that he doesn't belong here. Grimacing as those thoughts all float there in his mind on the tip of his tongue, but refusing to say them, he doesn't see when Gladio turns to look to him. He doesn't feel the weight on the bed shifting enough to make that turn easier, he doesn't realize until he feels burning eyes on him again and this time, Prompto turns his head to look up and meet that gaze with the grimace still showing.

He must look more helpless than he realizes, with that hint of smile on Gladio's face. Souring, because Prompto doesn't think smiling is supposed to be the right response to making attempts to express himself as harmlessly as possible, he has half a mind to sit up and push him away. Just what could he be thinking to smile at a time like this? Shrinking back against his covers when Gladio moves, because he dips _down_ into Prompto's space, he finds himself frozen in place once again if only because of the words being teased against his ear - is he actually asleep and having wild dreams now?

"Y'look cute, for how much you don't want to say it."

_oh goDS shitting what?!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey look you know how I said I had half a chapter wrote? well I actually had like, 1/4th wrote, and then I remembered where I was going and I got to finish what I was doing. sorry it's a cliffhanger, but filthy smut is coming right up on the next chapter c: 911 save prompto he doesn't know what he's doing aside from consistently trying to re-assess his own mental chart of just how into dudes he is and falling short of his own expectations...
> 
> aka yeah the porn is coming, should I be moving this into explicit?
> 
> thank you for reading and for any comments o7


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